The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine provides the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. After switching on, it warms up and makes a scrumptious espresso or slightly longer lungo in just 30 minutes.
Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines are generally quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with most capable of making a cup of coffee in 30 seconds or less. But they come at a cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they're not always recyclable (though certain companies now offer recycling bags for free and UPS labels to return the pods).
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code before brewing. This makes it simple to ensure consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, with next-to-no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. This machine is among the tiniest and lightest available. It does not require a separate milk container and its compact footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into even the tiniest kitchens.
The CitiZ is not the best device to reduce the environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also need to swap the filter cartridge after this expires and could be expensive for some users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a speedy machine that has customisable buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed, tampered ground compressed in between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on its environment and workforce. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it does it will brew a cup in around 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A
pod and bean coffee machine coffee maker's ease of use is a major draw and the best models are easy to operate. The majority of machines use the same basic mechanism to brew your cup: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pumped through your chosen capsules and extracted to create rich, hot java. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top players on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules from well-known roasters. Certain pods can be used just once before being thrown away, while others can be used a number of times. Whatever the case, you'll need to think about how you'll handle the pods that are no longer being used so they don't end up in landfill.
The SMEG we tested has a reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates an additional capsule once the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with eight different blends that provide plenty of options. This brewer is perfect for coffee drinkers who wish to move away from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design is a looker on your countertop and can be opened with a gentle touch to reveal a hidden compartment for your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is perfect for areas with hard water.
The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its easy-to-use controls are easy to navigate using the switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area that allows you to insert your
coffee pods machines maker. It does take a little force to close, but our testers, including those with weak hand and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod makers take the mess of making coffee out of your hands. You simply load in one of the pods, press a button and brew. You will still need to clean the machine from time time, but not as frequently as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The
pod coffee machines machines are smaller than their larger equivalents and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right option for you is based on your preferences and what you want to gain from it. All pod machines are simple to operate, however, some provide more options for customization. Pod variety, brew size options, and milk frothing features must be taken into consideration to determine the best
coffee pod machine for your needs.
Most people will think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few newer competitors that could be worth considering. One of them is Bruvi, which uses an exclusive pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. These pods have an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust brewing settings.
The machine will eliminate all the guesswork out of it and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your custom drinks on a button so that you can create them with a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee that allows you to select the right size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with a polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the brand. This is a good choice for those looking for an extra bit of quality from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
While most people will use pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks, there are some larger models that can brew longer shots, known as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a great example, combines retro style of the fifties from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles however once you've become accustomed to it, the machine is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be brewed in just 30 minutes.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons a
pod coffee maker may not be the
best coffee machines with pods choice for you is its limited customization. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and add milk to your cup manually. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem but it could be a nagging issue for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses the correct amount of coffee for the specific type of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that performs its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for customised drinks or for varying the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but many will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they are looking for.
Aside from filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir on occasion This coffee maker does not need a lot of maintenance.